


Chronicles of Matt: Lord of Nothingness

by TooAwkwardToFunction (orphan_account)



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Basically like a weirder version of BNHA, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Matt is smol bean who’s actually really tall, help him he’s a confused puppy, probably also bisexual
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 02:29:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21129284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/TooAwkwardToFunction
Summary: Matthew Oliver is just a normal dude living in a world full of superpowers. At least, that’s what he thinks. What happens when he has an unfortunate encounter with someone from the rebel forces, and they try to recruit him? Why him? He’s powerless...or so he thought. Matt has to decide whether he has enough faith in the government, and himself, to not mess everything up. Because...well, he’s untouchable.





	1. Chapter 1

I really despise walking alone. 

Well, that and the fact that walking alone is usually paired with the word ‘lone’. Lone leads into ‘lonely’ and nobody likes being lonely. Or maybe I’m just weird. Walking alone always gives me this sort of exhilaration, the type of adrenaline rush you get when you’re scared. If that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I have no idea. Walking puns aside, I think I should backtrack. My name is Matt, I’m 16, and I enjoy long walks on the beach and chocolate ice cream. This is a story about how I was forced to save the world.

Only technically speaking.

It was a Friday afternoon when things got weird. I had hopped off the bus, skipped my way home (cause Friday, you can’t judge me), and immediately face-planted into the couch. What can I say? Anybody who has ever had the experience of going to school will join me on this fact. I didn’t take off my sneakers, or sunglasses, or hoodie. I just...crashed. My little brother poked his head into the room, sliding forward cautiously on his socks. He noted my backpack making its home on the back of my head, my general position, and the brightly colored band-aids along my fingers.

“Rough day?” He shuffled farther into the room, poking my side as if to make sure I was still alive. I responded with a very intelligent groan. “Yeah, rough day.” He then proceeded to sit on my back, legs crossed all zen style, with his elbows cutting into my ribcage. 

Personal contact had never been my thing, so as soon as I felt his light stature on top of me, my brain immediately muttered:  
“Eliminate the threat. Protocol 3A, I repeat, Protocol 3A…” In which I retaliated with rolling over. My brother collapsed to the floor, and I sat up straight, my aviator glasses crooked on my face. 

My hair must’ve been a mess, the same dark chocolate color as my brother, with the same untamed curls. You could tell we were related if we were a mile apart. The same tan complexion, same dark eyes, same upturned nose, and broad shoulders. I quickly turned my head, the sprawled glasses falling completely off my face and into my lap. I glowered at my heap of a brother, spread-eagle on the ground.

“Mission accomplished,” I slung my bag off of my shoulder, watching as he accepted his fate with the floor. “James, that was uncalled for.”

He somersaulted into a crouch, eyeing me. “Correction, it was perfectly called for, just without the proper responsive target.” We stared each other down for a moment, before grinning. James had recently turned 10, his eyes still filled with childlike wonder. 

I took a moment to criticize him, approving of his choice of shirt, which displayed a taco, the words: ‘Wanna taco bout it?’ scribbled under the image. His hair was combed to one side, sweeping across his forehead and hitting just above his left ear. His buck-toothed smile matched his tiny figure to a T. He hadn’t changed a bit since I saw him that very morning, as he mocked me for still having school over a bowl of cereal. 

My mom must’ve been somewhere in the kitchen, the small television blaring through the thin walls, set permanently to some 24-hour news channel. My stomach reminded me of the time, dubbing it munchy munch crunch time. I left my bag on the couch, it had betrayed me, and stumbled into the kitchen, my goal the fridge. James sprung up to follow me, clinging to the side of my leg. I opened the fridge door, pushing my brother away absentmindedly. He grumbled away, climbing into one of the stools placed next to the table. 

The room wasn’t much. A sink rested next to the oven, both of which resided below a single window. The rest of the counter was formed around the two, a stove above the oven, cabinets surrounding the empty space. A few towels littered the surfaces, with a toaster and microwave plugged in as well. 

My brother animatedly talked to my mother, who was seated across from him, her eyes fixed on the cup of tea her hands were curled around. My mother was the embodiment of all things good and beautiful. Her eyes were the color of honey, which glowed blue and gold in any source of light. She had short choppy hair that curled around her ears, with soft features that matched her peach skin. I let my nose lead me in my hunt for snacks, finding an apple with a triumphant smile. I let the fridge door close, keeping my prize in my hand as I made my way to the table.

“Hi Mama,” I gave her a light kiss on the cheek, taking the only remaining stool. She hummed in acknowledgment, only looking up when she heard my teeth crunch into the apple.

“Hi honey, how was school?” She ran a finger through her hair, smiling at James before glancing at the tv.

“Fine,” I amended around bites of apple. “Learned some stuff. Made teachers laugh. Started a revolution.” She sipped her tea with a light smile, rolling her eyes playfully at me. “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!”

“YEAH!” James and I fist-bumped. My mother didn’t seem to notice the bromance, her eyes fixed on the news broadcast. Her eyebrows were knitted together in concern, her lips in a thin line.

“Mom-”

“Shh,” Her eyes stayed locked on the report. I turned my own gaze to look, seeing the reporter staring at the screen, a sort of finality to her posture. A video in the corner of the screen was looping, showing a man with glowing blue hands rob a store. It was the security footage, I realized, tuning in mid-sentence.

“-after being asked to leave the scene. These powers are getting more and more out of hand. Certain individuals with these...gifts,” the woman on screen failed miserably to hide the sour expression flitting across her face. “Are warned to be cautious. They may be viewed as heightened senses or special advantages over others, but that makes no excuse to disobey the law.” Her costar nodded his head, his expression friendlier than hers. 

He continued the story, explaining how the man threatened the civilians inside the store, and how dangerous it was. I ducked my head away from the screen, placing the apple onto the table. I’d suddenly lost my appetite, the former hunger being replaced with a cold fist. My mom scowled disapprovingly at the screen, turning back to her tea. I caught the gaze of James, his eyes wide and curious, too young to really understand the situation.

You see, the world changed a few decades ago. People were born with these...gifts. We think of them as superpowers or just advanced skills. It’s been really interesting since then, but I don’t remember what it was like not to live in a world where the kid next to you a school had a tail. Or how the actor in a movie could also change the color of his hair by will. 

My mother, on the other hand...Some adults can be more or less accepting of the whole thing. I wasn’t born with any gifts, and neither was my brother. At least, as far as we can tell. I guess I’m lucky, if I was born with gifts, I doubt my mom would be so kind to me. She’s had a tough time with the whole ordeal, adjusting to this world where everywhere you look there’s this sort of magic. A type of magic that was only known inside stories, or movies. 

There are a thousand reasons why my moms so touchy on the subject, ranging from reminiscing in traditional ways, to...our father. I decided a long time ago it’s best to just leave it alone, so there’s always this awkward silence after some powered up criminal goes on a rampage. I like to think of it as cool-down time, where I just play a Bon Jovi song in my head and wait for my brother to change the subject. 

That’s all I had to do. Wait for my brother...just keep waiting...just be patient--aw, who am I kidding. 

The expression on James’s face was too concerning, the way he bit his lip, staring at my face with a thousand questions on the edge of his tongue.

“Hey bud,” I leaned my elbows on my knees, getting eye level with him. “Why don’t we go upstairs. I stopped by the library earlier, and I’ve got a new book in my bag. We can read--”

“Matthew.” A chill went up against my spine, and I straightened up, James clung to my hand. My mother never used my full name. Only when she was serious, or angry at me. I stared at the table, waiting for her to continue. “Could you run to the post office? I need a few stamps and I forgot to go on my way home today,” Her voice was icy and strained. I nodded my head lightly, composing my voice.

“Yeah, no problem,”

“Thank you, dear.” I slid off of my perch, silently tugging James along with me. He stared at mom until we made it to the living room. I patted his shoulder lightly, grabbing my wallet from my bag, as well as my headphones.

“Why was Mom so mad?” I looked up from my fruitless task of untangling the two cords. He was still looking into the kitchen doorway, his eyes dancing with the flickering light of the television. I sat on the couch, patting the spot next to me, in which James hopped up.

“She’s not mad…” I paused, taking a moment to choose my words. “She’s just concerned, I guess. It’s okay, though. We don’t have to worry about it, alright?” He nodded, searching my eyes for any hint of deception. I gave him my best-lopsided grin, ruffling his hair before reaching over him to my bag. “Here,” I brought out a worn paperback book, placing the heap of papers into his hands. “You can start it, but don’t get too far without me, alright?”

He nodded, determined with his new task. “Sir, yes sir!” He walked with me to the door, watching as I popped a bud into my ear, slipping my phone into the pocket of my jeans. “Don’t take too long,” I turned around after opening the door, examining his expression. He glanced in the direction of the kitchen, then back at me. “Promise?”

I laughed, nodding. “I promise.”

He looked satisfied enough, waving as I made my way down the lawn. I placed the remaining earbud in and listening contently to Fall Out Boy as I strolled down the street. 

The sun peaked just above the houses, blowing a raspberry of colors into the surrounding sky. Sunset was a good time to walk during the summer. It wasn’t boiling hot like during the day, or freezing cold like night. I enjoyed the steady breeze of warm air on my face, the feel of cooling pavement just below my sneakers. I was nearing the end of the neighborhood, by a stop sign, when I felt a pair of eyes of the back of my neck. The hairs on my arms and face stood up, a fuzzy feeling rubbing my toes. I looked down the street next to me, finding no one, then turned to the crosswalk in front of me. There wasn’t a car in sight, so who…

Someone tapped my shoulder.

I turned, predictably, yeah I know. A guitar solo blared in my ears, which did not help my confusion at what I was seeing. 

It was Joan, my best friend since second grade. Her face was sprayed with freckles, a pattern even the stars envied. She had long red curls that ran down her back, twisting around her face and shoulders. I should’ve spotted her earlier, she doesn’t exactly dress in a quiet fashion. The opposite, actually. 

At the moment she was wearing a floral printed pair of jeggings, scattered with holes from who knows where, paired with a light blue blouse, the buttons were undone to show some pop band tank top. Her shoes were just plain flip-flops, despite the odd stains of glitter on her toes. Her bright blue eyes were almost mocking me, as she reached a pale hand to tap her ear. I grumbled a little, taking my earphone out just as the drums came back in with the piano.

“Can’t I mail myself to China in peace?” I made sure to tuck the dangling earbud into my hoodie, letting the wire stick out a little. She grinned, leaning forward to stand beside me.

“Absolutely not,” Her grin turned wild, her teeth baring in a joking manner. “What’s the fun in mailing yourself without someone to stamp your forehead? I’ll make it nice and pretty,” She rolled the ‘r’ in pretty, batting her eyelashes for effect. 

I snorted, crossing the street without looking to see if she’d follow. Low and behold, she appeared right beside me again, sauntering her way down the sidewalk like some sort of runway model. That’s the difference between us. I keep my head down, my hood up, while she keeps her head up AND keeps eye contact. Impressive, I know, I’ve told her such. 

My mind eventually wandered to the apple I left on the counter, and how I’d have to pick it up later. When my thoughts began to move towards random subjects, like the apple, I finally turned my eyes to stare at Joan. She had a sort of half-smile on her face, her eyes tracing the cracks in the cement. I nudged her shoulder, using my height advantage to rest my arm there.

“Why you stalkin’ me?” She looked up, her cheeks coloring once my words hit. She muttered under her breath, kicking a pebble into the road from in front of her toe.

“I wasn’t stalking you,” Her words betrayed the flush on her cheeks. I opened my mouth, drawing breath to speak again, but she silenced me with a look. “I wasn’t following you either, or tailing, or whatever the heck other words you’re gonna use to say ‘stalkin’,” She mimicked the little hiccup my voice had at the end, leaving the ‘g’ in ‘ing’ out of the equation. I pulled my lips together to form a sour look, letting her finish her thoughts. “I was walking to the pharmacy, I need to buy more Advil,”

My eyebrows creased at her stumbled explanation. “Still having those…”

“Dreams?” She suggested. I waved my hand a few times, trying to grasp the right description.

“More like visions...prophecies, ma-hooda-na bangles that go round your brains!” I tapped my temple, nodding seriously.

She looked unimpressed with my brilliance. “Yeah, dreams. Dad thinks they're some type of developing power...but I don’t know. I can never see anything clearly...like if you were to take off your glasses and trade them with someone else’s,” She looked up after trying to explain.

I nodded in understanding. “I don’t wear glasses,”

“Shut up, you know what I mean. And I see these...bizarre things. People, at least what look like people, fighting shadows. A figure standing alone with ash floating up around him. If I didn’t know any better I’d even say that the figure is…” She caught my gaze, and immediately dropped it.

“What? You’d say the figure is what?”

“You,” She murmured, looking up again. I tilted my head, in a lost puppy fashion as my mom’s taken to calling it.

“Me?” I couldn’t help but let my frown turn into a smile. “What? Are my pants on fire or somethin’?”

She wanted to be mad, but her expression betrayed her. “That’s not funny,” I wiggled my eyebrows to make her grin grow even larger. “Matt, you dork, it’s not funny!” She pushed me away, let me laugh a few steps behind her.

“Don’t lie to yourself,” I wheezed, letting my head tilt backward as I laughed towards the sky.

“It was a little funny,” She admitted. “But only because you’re just so stupid, it’s hard not to laugh.”

“Thank you, Miss Rivera. I try my best,” I ended with a mock bow. She gave me an exasperated look, crossing her arms in a ‘what am I gonna do with you’ fashion. My grin faded a little as I looked up, actually paying attention to my surroundings for once.

“Oh, the post office. This is your stop?” Joan asked, turning a little so she was facing the building directly. I shrugged nonchalantly, pulling my headphones all the way out and tucking them back in my pockets.

“Last stop on the train to a good time, destination: chores,” I made a sad ‘toot-toot’ sound. Joan was giving me an incredulous look, almost always in awe at my attitude. I gave her a smile, tugging at a hoodie string. “You could come in with me? After we could get smoothies? Plus, we could annoy the employee by playing in the boxes…”

She took a moment to consider my options. “Though that sounds awesome, and,” she laughed. “That does sound awesome, I have to be home before six, and I need to do a few errands of my own.” I pouted, causing her to raise an eyebrow.

“We can make it quick. It’ll be fuuuuuuuuun?”

“Matt,”

“Fuuuuuuuun!” I whispered with no room for argument.

“Matt, no. We can do it tomorrow, that’s when school gets out!” I scratched the back of my neck, giving my best sheepish look.

“That makes sense. I forgot that fact.”

“How’d you forget--never mind. Never mind!” She grinned at my expression, rolling her eyes playfully. “Tomorrow,”

“Yeeeeah, tomorrow. Adios Jo,” We finger gunned at each other, then I entered the building.

It was a one-floor, half split type setup, the counter taking up space to the public, with a wall separating the other half of the store. The door made a little jingling sound when I opened it, and I smiled a little at the vibrating bell above my head. 

The entirety of the office was empty, besides a bored booking middle-aged woman reading by the counter. She had short and straight auburn hair, that curled upwards halfway down her neck. She wore a standard work uniform, a black shirt with the post office’s logo printed across the chest. I slid my way into the room, causing the woman to look up from her book. Her eyes brightened, and smile lines lit up along her face as she grinned. I gave a little wave, stepping up to the counter.

“Sorry to interrupt, Ma’am, I just need to pick up a few stamps.” I smoothed my sweatshirt awkwardly, watching as she bent down to bring out a box of supplies. After a few minutes of listening to her search, I decided to lean forward on the counter, trying to peak over. “Do you need any help…?” She straightened up quickly, looking a little flustered as she held a package close to her chest.

“Sorry that took so long, we’re in the middle of restocking, everything’s just a big mess.” She huffed, tearing the tape back with her teeth.

“No prob,” I gave her a reassuring look, ensuring that I wasn’t mad. “Take as much time as you need,”

She smiled at me, showing a row of fangs. “You’re such a sweet kid,” I shrugged, fishing my wallet out.

“My mom says that everyone has good and bad days, and you can always make it a good day if you try hard enough. I think she means when you put everything you have into what makes others happy, then you can make someone’s day a little bit better, even if it’s not much,” The woman looked up from unpacking a few books of stamps, her eyes wide with wonder. I blushed, realizing I was rambling, and rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m just doing what I was raised to do, as a decent human being,” I pointed at the box in her hands. “Do you need any help?”

She blinked away the stars in her eyes, shaking her head a little. “Your mother sounds really wise. So do you,” She laughed nervously, bringing out a booklet, and placing it on the table. “One book will be $10,”

I placed the right bill on the table, exchanging the money for the stamps. I flipped through, looking at the American flag designs covering the stamps. Sliding the book into my jeans with my wallet, I began to leave.

“Thank you, Ma’am!” I called, my hand on the doorknob.

She smiled brightly, waving a little. “You have a nice night, and be careful on your way home, alright?” I waved back, scoffing sarcastically.

“With all due respect Ma’am, I’m a certified half adult, I’m as careful as it comes when walking is involved,” I laughed a little at her startled expression, bumping into the door when I wasn’t paying attention. We both laughed at that, and I went out the door with the soft jingle of the bell.

I hummed a little as I made my way back home, the journey seeming longer without the company of a friend. I was considering pulling my headphones back in and blasting tunes as I walked when I heard the snap of a rock hitting pavement. 

I turned, sliding on the toe of my sneakers as I looked through the dim light. My hands were curled in a defensive position, my arms ready to punch at any given moment. There was no sound except the eerie gusts of wind rippling my clothes. No other movement was shown. I was beginning to think it was all my imagination, turning back around skeptically. 

I moved once again to grab my headphones when I heard the lightest footsteps creeping up behind me. The hairs on my neck decided to put their hands in the air, and I ignored the urge to shiver. I waited a moment for the steps to get closer, letting my hands hidden by pockets form fists. Three...two...one!

I turned, swinging a fist to sucker punch whoever it was directly in the gut. The guy caught my hand, turning my fist upwards, much to my discomfort. A small sound of hurt escaped my lips, my hand desperately tugging for safety. I narrowed my eyes, keeping my hand as a balance as I roundhouse kicked. He dropped my hand in a moment to defend the kick, nimbly dogging as I swiveled back around.

“Dude,” I growled, trying to see his facial features through his lowered cap. “You tryin’ to rob me? Me? Do I look like I’m made of money?”

I saw a scowl grace his lips, his hands raising for defense. “You’ve got to have a wallet on you, give it up, pretty boy, before I have to get violent,” In a moment, his fist was ablaze, white-hot flames licking his skin. I moved one foot behind the other, feeling my fight or flight reflexes have a standoff.

“Hey, you don’t need to do anything stupid--wait, pretty boy?” Curse my seventy-two track mind, always going in opposite directions. He seemed to pause for a moment, in shock at my response, then he swung. 

I had a moment to raise my hands in defense, thinking:  
‘I’m screwed, I’m screwed, I’m screwed, heckity heckin’ screwed I say!’ before impact. My senses were numb for a moment, my eyes closed as I awaited my painful, fiery death. Waiting for the burning hot flames to melt my ‘pretty boy’ skin straight to the gutter. Any minute now…

I slowly opened one eye, my mouth parting in confusion. The mugger in question was looking in shock as my hands blocked his, the fire seemingly gone. I pushed him away, stumbling backward ungracefully. He stared at his hand, his cap sliding halfway off his head, revealing messy curls.

“How...What’d you do?” He whispered, standing back up and setting his hand ablaze once more. “WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!?”

I stumbled back further, falling flat on my butt with a jolt up my tail bone. “I didn’t do anything! What did YOU do!” He advanced again, reaching his hand towards my face. I flinched back, my eyes wide, the heat searing my face. Then, it stopped. 

Inches before he touched my skin, the fire went out. I watched his bright green eyes go round, his hand trembling as he stared it down. I scrambled up, holding my hands in front of me as a sort of peace gesture.

He muttered something.

“What?” The question slipped out of my mouth, my lips immediately sealing shut.

“You’re untouchable…” he looked up, his eyes sparkling in awe. “What kind of power even is that?” He started to laugh, grabbing a blonde fistful of hair.

I paused, my brain beating to the sound of my heart. “That’s not possible. Sorry, Mr. Muggerson, but I don’t have any powers!” But...it would make sense. I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling creeping into my mind. I was told I didn’t have a gift, a power, but I’d always avoided confrontations with powered up bullies. I was also watched closely in classes when we had a speaker come in, to demonstrate their gift. No, I reassured myself, don’t let him get inside your head. He looked up from his mad hysterics, shaking his head. My heart fell into my stomach, a cold empty pit renting a room.

“You need to come with me,” he said, his voice low.

“Uh, I need to not go with you.” I countered, taking a step back. He shook his head frantically, taking his hat off all the way. His blonde hair was mused to one side of his head, sticking up like grass.

“No, you don’t understand. Your gift is...it’s just too important. Once they find out, they’ll come for you. And then they’ll kill you,” he held a hand out, his tan fingers rough from years of hardship. “You need to come with me before they find out…” His voice was so sincere, I had trouble not believing him.

‘He just tried to rob you,’ I tried to remind myself. ‘Yeah, but look at his eyes, aren’t they gorgeous?’ The other part of me giggled back. I made my decision.

“Dude, you’re bonkers. You want like ten bucks to buy a cheeseburger? Running brain power on an empty stomach does stuff to ya,”

He blinked, looking at me as if I’d just come from the moon. “No, I mean, yeah, but no. You need to trust me!”

“NO!” I startled myself at the tone, bringing my hands together. “No. I don’t have any gifts. I’m not special! Stop...stop trying to kidnap me you...you perv!” He stumbled a little, the comment obviously a little harsh. 

He did only look to be a few years older than me, even that conclusion a stretch. He gaped at me, posing as a perfect fish. I took this moment of golden opportunity, turning on my heel, and sprinting straight towards the boundaries of someone’s suburban house. His expression didn’t last for long, his hands flaming up out of frustration.

“Hey! Hey! Get back here! You have no idea how much danger you’re in! WAIT!” His pleas fell to deaf ears, and I took my given momentum to vault myself over the white fence. I grabbed the edge, slowing my fall...which led me stomach first into a lawn chair. 

A family of four startled, a little girl with pigtails sliding on her back as she jumped away from me. I groaned, rolling onto my back in an effort to soothe my stomach pain, paired with the flaring of literally every other part of my body.

“Oh,” My vision cleared a little, and I saw the familiar faces of the parents. “Sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Linc! Didn’t mean to interrupt,” I winced a little, sitting up with pieces of broken plastic stuck in my hair. Their seven-year-old daughter Kaleigh crawled on her knees towards me, brushing off my shoulder and head with delicate little fingers. Her other sister, Silena, a twelve-year-old, helped me to my feet. The family just exchanged a glance, my antics being a normal occurrence by now.

“Matt,” Mrs. Linc chided tiredly. “That’s the fifth lawn chair in the last three months. Will you stop flipping into our backyard?” I gave my best sheepish look, causing a few smiles to crack around the family.

“Sorry, I was in a rush. I’ll pay for it--”

“No, Matt, it’s fine. Oh, are you free to hang out with the kids this summer?” She glanced at the two girls, both of them busied with the task of unburying me within the deceased chair; rest in pieces, Billy. I didn’t mind watching the two girls when their parents needed to work. I understood exactly how hard it was to handle little kids when you also worked a job.

I had to do a lot of that when my brother was just a toddler, waddling around the house trying his best to find every electrical socket possible. I nodded a little, testing my jolted legs, ruffling both the girl's hair as I did so.

“I’m always free to have a good time with my buds,” The three of us exchanged a grin. “Sorry, again. I have to go, though. Call me,” I made a slight hand gesture along with it, sprinting towards the door.

“Slow down Matt, no one’s chasing you!” Mr. Linc called, turning back to his wife with a smile.

“Speak for yourself,” I muttered, swinging the gate open in a grand gesture, leaving no time to rest my recently bruised legs.

I made it home in as close to one piece as possible. After being suspicious of everything within five feet of me, I finally slid through the door of my familiar house. Peeking a little through the window, I made sure to scan the area around the house. Somewhat satisfied that I’d lost Muggerson’s trail for the moment, I slid down the wall with a defeated sigh.

“What’re you doing?” I jumped up again, looking wildly to the source of the voice. James was leaning on the bottom step of the stairs, his eyes scrutinizing for a ten-year-old. I laughed tentatively, letting my shoulders sag once again.

“I’m making friends with the floor. How’re you today, floor? Oh, that’s nice. Yeah, this was a lovely encounter, and I’d love to have tea with you!” James didn’t seem to believe the attempt at humor, raising an eyebrow at my act.

“Okay, Mom’s been wondering where’ve you been. Said it shouldn’t take so long to get stamps. And I’ve finished the first three chapters of this book alone! You promised you’d read it with me!” I felt the guilt rise up in my chest, momentarily swatting away every other emotion. I tried for a smile, spreading a hand at my own tattered self. 

“What do you think I’m here for? Let’s go nuts with this work of literature!” When I finished my reassurance, James’s face softened back to child excitement.

“You sure you’re okay?” He asked persistently as I walked past him, poking my head in the kitchen to set the newly acquired book of stamps on the counter. James walked behind me, sliding a little on his socks.

“Just peachy. Or maybe grape-y. Or fruity. Tangy?” I trailed off, finding my mother giving me a look. She was by the sink, cleaning the few dirty plates within.

“Nice of you to show up, Matt,” She watched James look out from behind my legs. She let out a sigh, brushing her wet hands on her pants. “You didn’t find another...pet...did you?”

I jumped a little, my hands trembling within my pockets. She didn’t act like anything was different. Of course, she wouldn’t, but it made my head spin. My entire existence was being questioned, and she was still worried about...stamps. 

“No, no. I did find a stray friend though. Her name is Joan, and I think we should keep her.” Mom smiled lightly, the worry lines on her forehead disappearing.

“Oh alright. At least you didn’t forget the stamps this time,” She laughed along with James, and I heard myself joining in forcefully. “Well, are you excited for tomorrow?” She crossed her arms over her chest, letting her laughs form a smile. My head was reeling, everything seeming surreal to what had happened minutes prior.

“T-tomorrow?” I desperately shunned away from the strain in my voice. My mother tilted her chin up a little, her eyebrows quirking with her mouth.

“Your last day of school for the year? Matt, you didn’t forget again? This is just like your birthday…” I nodded a little, feeling a little dazed.

“I uh,” I pointed towards the ceiling. “I need to go...pack my backpack or something. I wanna make sure I have a few pencils, but not the whole cannoli, if you know what I mean,” My mother and James watched as I stiffly made my way out of the room, head down, hands in my pockets. They exchanged a glance, pricking the back of my neck with the intensity.

“Was he like this when he walked in?” My mother whispered, their voices echoing softly as I dragged my feet up the stairs. They continued talking about me as I reached my room, shutting the door tightly behind me.

“It’s okay, Matt,” I told myself. “It was just the insane ramblings of some dude trying to mug you. It doesn’t matter, just an attempted kidnapping. Absolutely pointless!” I tugged my hoodie off, balling it up and throwing it on my bed. “Of course it matters. Why else would I be talking to…” I stared at the window, watching a street lamp flicker across the road. “...Myself,” I sighed, digging my fingers into my scalp as I steadied my heartbeat. “We’ve finally done it, Oliver.” I saw my glossy reflection staring back at me through the glass. “We’ve finally gone mad hatter.” I glanced at my backpack sprawled on my sheets, the contents settled halfway inside from when James must’ve thrown it in here. 

I slid on my knees once I reached my bed, taking the deflated looking bag and dumping the insides. I grabbed my hoodie, stuffing it inside the first pocket as I surveyed the contents of my room. I need the water bottle, I noted, reaching forwards to slosh the filled container. I need that beanie, I stuffed the water bottle in the bag before reaching for the hat. Sunglasses, an extra pair of socks, a shirt, a wallet, and headphones...I stared at the reflective screen on my phone, reminiscing on the good times we’d had. I placed it on my dresser, grabbing an MP3 player from within my underwear drawer. A flashlight, first aid kit filled with more medical ointments than I could count...and Advil. Plus the unopened bag of Doritos lying sideways on the floor, next to a similar bag of gummy bears. I finally stuffed my leather jacket at the bottom, lying next to my hoodie.

I zipped up the bag, staring at a book half-open near my pillow. With a second moment of wistful deliberation, I crawled over to grab it. I squinted to read the title, remembering staying up last night to get through the first half. 

It was one of the few things my father left behind when I was a kid. My mom tried to hide all of his belongings from us when James was getting old enough to explore. I’d snatched a few things of his: a worn leather jacket, a crumpled baseball t-shirt, and this book. It was an adventure tale, describing a fantasy world with knights and dragons, all fighting over the same inner demons. I was only interested in it because he’d done one of the only reading no-no’s to this book, crossing the line by writing in the margins. His handwriting was small and scribbled, noticeably similar to my own. Other than my eyes, that was one of the only things the two of us had in common.

I gently closed the book, sliding it into the smallest pocket of the bag, and securing all of the straps. ‘In the morning,’ I told myself, placing the bag at the foot of my bed. 

I kicked my shoes off, changed into pajama pants, and sprawled over the covers of my bed, pressing my face into my pillow. Even if there was a 0.001% chance that Muggerson back there was telling the truth, I had to get as far away as possible from my family. I couldn’t let that small chance get my family hurt. The only way I could protect them was to leave, and that’s what I was going to do. I stared at the ceiling, feeling determination swell up inside my chest. I was going to do what I could, starting with finding the guy who started all of this: 

Muggerson


	2. Chapter 2

For someone who had made probably the biggest decision in his life, I slept like a rock. 

Apparently, my consciousness has no moral judgment and commanded my body as soon as my eyes shut to sleeeep. My body complied happily. I woke up bleary-eyed and yawning, to the sound of my mother calling my name. 

“Matt!” Her voice bellowed, the sweet undertones coaxing my tiredness away. 

“Matt, get your butt ready! The bus is gonna be here in twenty!” That’s what got me going. I hopped down the stairs after washing my face and brushing my teeth. 

I attempted to lace up my sneakers as I made my way down the stairs. I was adorned in a fresh pair of jeans and a star printed button-up t-shirt, my trusty shoes still sticking to my feet. My previously packed bag was slung over one shoulder, banging into the wall as I stumbled my way down the staircase. My mom was waiting at the bottom, her hands on her hips as she watched me struggle. I tripped on the last few steps, falling directly on my face with a subtle ‘oof’. 

She brushed off my shoulders as I popped back up, my curls bouncing with me. She smiled at me, cupping her hands around my chin, her eyes shining as she analyzed my own expression. I forced a smile of my own, letting her watch my cheeks puff out with the motion. 

“Morning,” I rasped, not showing any fear to the Mama bear trying to get me to crack. I pressed my much larger hands over hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. 

“You’re alright?” She asked, moving her gaze between my two eyes, searching. I nodded, moving my hands to tighten around the straps of my bag. 

“Yeah,” It came out softer than I intended, but she seemed to deliberate on it for a moment. 

“Okay,” She bent down to pick up a plate on the steps of the stairs. “You didn’t eat anything last night, and James got worried. Here,” She shoved a piece of toast into my mouth, the buttery taste pressed on my tongue. I filled my mouth obligingly, smiling around the bread. 

“Have a good day at school,” I almost cringed at that, letting my eyes water a little. Before my mother could see, I wrapped my arms around her, letting my face pressed into her shoulder. She returned the hug, pressing a hand to the back of my head. “Oh, affection, how nice,” She joked. I blinked away the tears, pulling away slowly. 

“Yeah. Yeah,” I glanced towards the door, then up the stairs. “Gimme a minute!” We slowly let go of each other's hands, and I bounded up the stairs three at a time. I slowly pressed James’s door open, smiling lightly at his sleeping form. 

He had the book I gave to him yesterday clutched to his chest, his face eternally youthful. I knelt by his bed, pressing my hand on his forehead gently, smoothing his curls back. His eyes opened slowly, staying halfway shut. He returned my small smile, looking a little confused at my melancholy face. “Hey, bud,” 

“Matt?” He tried to sit up, but I pressed his shoulder, keeping him in place. 

“I’m leaving, so I just wanted to--” My voice broke a little, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I wanted to say bye.” 

He blinked owlishly at me, his eyebrows furrowed. “You’re just going to school. Why do you sound like you’re about to die?” I laughed, his own scratchy voice joining in. 

“Keep...keep reading the book, okay? I want you to tell me if it’s any good.” He nodded slowly, his hands unclasping from the cover. I turned to leave but stopped when one of his hands caught the back of my shirt. 

“You’re going to read it with me though...right?” His voice trailed off sleepily, and I resisted the sob building in my chest. I turned with a pained smile, gathering him into one of the few hugs I’ve ever given. I turned to go again, leaving him shocked sitting upwards in bed. “Right?” He repeated, but I was already flying down the stairs again. 

I passed my mom, keeping my head slightly turned downwards. I opened the door, ignoring the feeling of loss slowly rising in my chest. I turned, staring my mom in the eyes, and smiling for real, one last time. 

“I love you guys,” She smiled cautiously back, folding her hands around the railing. 

“Have...have a good day, Matt. I love you too?” She looked torn between laughing and crying, watching worriedly as I shut the door. 

“And goodbye,” I shouldered my bag, sprinting off in the general direction of the bus stop. 

I jogged towards the bus stop, a few kids already by the stop sign. Joan looked up from her phone, her lips turning upwards. She nudged one of my other friends, Alex, and he fixed his glasses to watch me approach. The lowerclassmen all knew me by then, and me stumbling in looking ruffled wasn’t uncommon. A few of them gave a polite greeting, the rest just high fiving me as I went along. I spun once, coming to a stop between both Alex and Joan. Each of them steadied me with one hand on both of my shoulders. 

“Where are you rushing off to?” Alex laughed, pausing only when he saw my grim expression. “Who ran over your sandwich?” 

I waved him off. “I ran over my own sandwich, and then grieved on my way over here,” I grabbed his hand suddenly, pulling his face close to mine. “I want you to follow your acting dreams. Ignore what your grandma thinks is best for you, and follow your dancing heart!” He blinked twice, letting my words sink in as I turned to Joan. She looked shocked as I pulled my face close to hers, her ears turning bright red. “Joan, you should take art classes, and please submit your photo to the contest. You’ll win. I don’t need prophetic powers to know that’s the future,” 

“Matt, what are you talking about?” She laughed nervously. Alex nodded, placing a hand on my arm. 

“Bro, you’re scaring us…” I straightened my bag, letting out a sigh. 

“Sorry, but...please. You two are my best friends, and I love you.” They exchanged a glance, Alex’s dark hair falling into his blue eyes. 

“What did you do this time?” They asked in unison, staring curiously at me. I shook my head, grabbing both of them into a hug. 

“I discovered something really important...and now I need to chase after that. Take care of yourselves,” I gave them a determined smile, backing up a few steps. Joan reached out a hand to catch my shoulder, but I pulled away. 

“This is just like...no, Matt, don’t do what I think you’re going to do!” Alex gave both of us an incredulous look, pulling his phone out. 

“Should I call your mom? Matt!” When the mention of calling my mom, my third grader instincts kicked in and I ducked away, sprinting towards the stretch of lawn between two houses. 

“Matt!” Joan called, a few of the other kids turning and calling out my name as well. But I was already gone, disappeared down a few streets over. 

I kept glancing over my shoulder once I’d gotten to the post office. It was unlikely that anyone would actually recognize me and then start asking questions, really because no one cared, but unlikely was not impossible. 

Or so I kept telling myself as I made my way downtown walking fast...couldn’t resist, sorry. My plan was to try and retrace my steps, find the creepy dude looking to buy pizza, and then get him to explain himself. Like most plans of mine work, it didn’t really turn out like that.   
I was pausing in my walk for a moment, leaning between the post office and another working facility, keeping my head turned to the sky. 

I was so deep in my thoughts, questioning myself and motives, that I didn’t notice the figure creeping towards me. I had time to turn my head in the general direction the person was before I was slammed to the wall, a hand over my mouth. 

“Don’t struggle, I’m not gonna hurt you,” the female whispered, her hands soft and sturdy on my mouth. 

I rolled my eyes upwards as if to say: ‘Not gonna hurt me my butt.’ She didn’t get the message, pressing my face against the brick wall, turning her head to hurriedly gesture an accomplice over. I couldn’t make out her face, but her voice was laced with years of yelling. 

She was probably a gang leader, I proposed to myself, staring at the blankness of the wall. I heard a second set of footsteps approaching, another voice coming closer with the sound. It was a guy, his voice young enough to be a teenager. It sounded familiar...oh for the love of Shrimp Jesus. I contemplated my choices for a minute, weighing side effects in my head. 

‘Screw it,’ I concluded, opening my mouth slightly. 

“Gah!” The girl let go of me, stumbling backward, staring at her hand in shock. I steadied myself against the wall, glaring at both of them. The very guy I was looking for stood in stunned silence as I fixed my shirt.

The girl was a bit shorter than me, her skin a soft cocoa color, which stood out against her pastel pink shirt. She turned her honey-colored eyes away from her hand, opting to look at me instead. 

“You...you licked me! What are you, five?” 

“Five and ¾!” I yelled back, rubbing my tongue against the back of my hand, getting the taste of coconut oil out of my mouth. “You,” I pointed at Muggerson. 

He crossed his arms awkwardly. “You,” 

“Nah Nah Nah Muggerson, I’m talking to you. What did you mean yesterday?” I moved from the wall, so I could get into a defensive stance. The girl looked between me and her partner, her delicately crafted brows creased in confusion. 

“Demitri, you know this cute boy? And you didn’t tell me?” I felt my cheeks heat up, my shoulders falling back a little in shock. 

“Hey, I’m Matt. And you two need to stop calling me cute. I’m younger than you,” I shook my head a little, watching as they exchanged a glance. “And I need to know what you meant about...about me.” I pressed a palm to the front of my shirt, gripping a little bit of fabric to tug at. 

“What did you tell him? Share with the group, Demitri,” The girl smirked at the apparent Muggerson/Demitri. I liked my name better. He turned a baseball cap contemplatively in his hands, keeping his green eyes locked on her gold ones. 

“The truth,” He stated, moving his unnerving stare towards me. “About your gift, and the way the government would love to abuse it,” He turned his chin to the side, his blonde waves sliding with the motion. “That’s why you showed up here. You wanted to...you felt the need to execute the rumor.” 

I nodded slowly. “That’s fancy wording, but sure. I came to help,” I made a grand gesture towards my bag. “You made this super ominous statement after trying to mug me--” 

“WHaT?” The girl snorted. “Demitri, you tried to mug this precious slice of pie!” 

“Still weird,” I added, but they continued a heated staring contest. 

“He looked rich...and seemed well involved with...the big guys. Heck, I wasn’t sure if he was from one of the gov houses or not,” 

“I was wearing a tattered hoodie,” I commented dryly, but he continued over me.

“I thought I might as well get a few bucks off of some pampered pretty boy--”

“Excuse me?”

“So I attempted to mug him. He barely let me touch him, which is when I knew this kid must’ve had some street experience, thus concluding he wasn’t some rich A-hole.” He eyed me nervously, scuffing his foot on the ground. “Sorry about that, by the way.”

“So now I’m part of the conversation? Fantastic, I still have a few slides to present here,” The girl, I feel bad calling her the girl, grinned at me. “You..went all supernova on me, but then, like, burnt yourself out. Then you said ‘they’ would come for me...you meant the government?” 

“The corrupt part,” The girl butted in, her cinnamon braid tumbling over her shoulder. “They have a power-hungry side, dying to get their hands on powerful gifts. Like..yours apparently. NOW I’m interested. When Demitri asked for help, I was curious, but now we’re getting somewhere.” 

“Where?” I couldn’t help but reply, standing up to their challenging gazes. “Where is...THIS going?” 

“Hopefully towards a mutual friendship,” She held out her hand, the one I did not lick. “I’m Harper, and we should probably leave before the police officers find the right alley!” I was in the middle of shaking her hand when she announced that, her voice never skipping a beat. 

“Uh whaaaaooooo!” She pulled me forwards, Demitri following us with a steady jog. “You guys have cops tailing you?!?”

“Nah, they got a call from some lady looking for you. Said this was one of the last places you’d been seen. You, my newly appointed friend, have cops tailing you.” Harper grinned.

I allowed her to sprint with me trailing behind, my mind focusing on the shouts of at least three people, followed by a subtle siren. 

“I’ve decided to stop questioning anything. It gets me nowhere. It got me here in the first place,”

“Good choice,” Demitri kept pace next to me, grabbing my other hand like I was going somewhere. “Welcome to the...resistance,” He huffed, giving a small smile, a new visitor to his expression. Probably just the inlaws, they never stay long. 

“Resistance,” I muttered, our eyes locking for a moment. 

“Here, in here!” Harper hissed, keeping a close eye on our soon to be pursuers. She shoved me towards the back of a restaurant, the famed green garbage smelled delightful as usual. I peered over the top, trying to catch any sign of direction from both Demitri and Harper. Sensing my eyes on him, Demitri turned, motioning me to keep down. I scowled, sliding down the side of the wall. 

“Fun idea, Matt,” I mumbled, attempting to keep my legs folded to my chest. “Very fun!” My tongue dry with sarcasm, I tasted smoke. Alarmed, naive little Matt decided to poke his head up again, finding the very police following me facing off the ‘Resistance’. 

Demitri’s hands were ablaze, the strange flames licking his fingers without any sign of burns. Harper just got into a fighting stance, her fists up to either block or throw a punch. I noted, a little respect besides myself, that she had steel tips on her boots, perfect for crotch kicking. One officer was female, the other male, both of their expressions hardened and grim. 

They seemed determined to question these guys or beat them up trying. I stared for a moment longer, letting the smell of decaying leftovers fill my nostrils, and then slid back into a crouch. 

‘Okay, Matt,’ I thought to myself. ‘This situation is fine. We’ve dealt with worse. Just...come up with a plan…’ My attention was immediately drawn away, a stray cat crawling out of a trash can. Their fur was orange and matted with a layer of grime and dirt, but their eyes were bright and green. 

I winced away from the shouting match going on behind me, crawling forward on my knees carefully. Harper’s voice seemed to have the lead at the moment, Demitri was out of the equation entirely. I held out a hand for the cat to sniff, female characteristics deciphering the gender of such a feline. She gave me a skeptical stare, before moving a little closer to accept my peace offering. I took a seat, my bag against the big dumpster, my legs carefully folded to my chest. 

“Hullo,” I whispered, letting her do as she wished without interfering. The cat seemed pleased with such a notion, hopping up on my legs with an air of defiance. I watched the cat make her way to my shoulder, eventually leaping to peer at me from the previously mentioned trash. I tilted my head back to keep eye contact, trying to silently warn her that she does not want to mess with whatever was goin’ down a few feet away. The feline blinked, one of her ears twitching as I stared into her little cat soul. Her chin stuck out towards the other trash can, directing my gaze towards the lid propped up against the side. 

I raised an eyebrow, turning back to her, but her little cat stature was sauntering straight towards the fight. The raised voices seemed to lose their momentum for a moment, pausing. I snuck a glance around the side of my hiding spot, staring incredulously as the cat walked leisurely in between the cops and rebels. 

“No!” I whisper shouted, accidentally leaning a bit too far. I lost my balance, landing on my shoulder with a slight huff. All four eyes turned towards me, Demitri covering his eyes as Harper’s jaw hung open. 

The cat was the last to look, training her curious eyes on me as if to say: ‘Well?’

I honestly tried not to laugh at myself, the whole thing just so ridiculous. I stared at the cat though, ignoring the two cops connecting the dots. Before any of them could make a move, or even say a word, I’d hopped to my feet, diving for the trash can lid. 

“Hey! You’re the kid we’re looking for!” One of the cops yelled, Demitri stepping around as if to block his view. I swore I saw the cat nod, which wasn’t the weirdest thing. Yeah, just wait until we get to the real kaboodle of craziness. My new feline friend glowed a little, the air around her seeming to spark up. In a flash, the cat was gone, replaced with a familiar-looking woman. 

The other cop jumped back, stepping forward once she’d recovered. “Hey, public display of powers is not tolerated in such an area--” Her words were sucked out of her mouth along with most of the air, the cat/lady’s foot jamming into her gut. 

She crumbled to the ground, clutching her stomach with a groan. Her partner began to move too, but I wasn’t letting my new friend get hurt. I put one of my feet slightly behind the other, moving my wrist along the trash lid, then flicking it forward like a frisbee. Harper turned with a shout, ducking under the flying saucer. The cop, though, was not so lucky. The metal object slammed into the side of his head, making his eyes vibrate comically. His body fell to the floor with my weapon, muffled by the loud clatter of metal against the pavement. Demitri's hand fell to his side as he looked between the lady and me. 

“Wait, post office lady!” I pointed at her, trying to express my shock. It was, in fact, the woman from the post office, her auburn hair almost catching fire in the daylight, matching the cat’s coat. 

“Hello, Matthew Oliver,” She grinned, her teeth-baring again. I blinked a few times, rubbing the side of my head in puzzlement. 

“How’d you know--”

“Your name? That was Demitri. He researched you, y’know. Then called Harper and I in,” She turned towards the other two. “I leave the two of you for three minutes to use the bathroom, and you go and find trouble. What did I tell you?” Her tone was accusatory, so much like a mother. 

Demitri looked at his shoes embarrassed. “To wait until you get out…”

She put her hands on her hips sassily. “And what did you do?” 

“We…” Harper tugged at a loose piece of hair. “Didn’t wait for you at all…” 

Demitri nodded a little. “And then...found trouble...sorry Ma’am,” He bowed his head.

Harper following the motion. “Very,” She added in, glancing up once before staring at the ground. 

“Hey,” I stepped in between the two of them and the office lady. “You shouldn’t blame them for anything...it’s my fault in the first place for starting this whole mess. Blame me if you’re gonna be mad at anyone,” I crossed my arms over my chest, standing my ground between them. Harper and Demitri looked up from their little display of shame, and the office woman just stared at me. 

“Uh, err, Matt.” Harper whisper-shouted, watching curiously as I had a staring match with the woman. “You don’t have to protect us or anything. This is our boss, Miss Elwing. It was our responsibility to find you, but also to wait for her...Matt?” 

I’d begun tilting my head side to side, trying to break her gaze, but still keeping my eyes sharp. “I beg to differ, man. It technically is my fault that you had to come and get me anyways. It’s only fair for me to be the one in trouble,” I blinked, watching Ms. Elwing’s face morph into a respectable smile. 

“You weren’t kidding when you said this one was special,” She turned, winking at Demitri. He blushed, hugging his arms to his sides, trailing his bright eyes along the ground. 

“I meant his power…” Harper and she exchanged a look, giggling a little. “Ya jerks,” 

Harper burst into laughter, leaning against my arm to steady herself. She didn’t reach much further than my shoulders anyways, but the sudden contact caught me off guard. I quickly sidestepped, stiffening with the movement. She stumbled, losing her laughter as it caught in her throat. 

She fell on her butt, staring in shock as I stood by with wide eyes. Ms. Elwing watched the interaction as well, a half-smirk on her face. Demitri seemed to be the only one unphased, his eyes still stuck avoiding contact. 

“Whoops?” I offered, letting her stand on her own, afraid of doing any more damage by helping her do so. 

“Whatever,” She grumbled, her smile betraying her actions. 

“Where’s Ace?” We all turned, looking at Demitri as he stared down the street. Miss Elwing followed his gaze, looking a bit baffled at the notion. I didn’t bother asking who the heck Ace was, hoping my confuzzled look was at its prime. 

“She’s supposed to be our escort...I just assumed you’d call her when we found...him,” Harper jabbed a thumb at me, ignoring my face altogether. I pretended to be offended, placing a hand to my chest. 

“Yeah?” Demitri also betrayed me, pulling out some sort of flip phone from his pocket. “I thought she was supposed to follow us...she didn’t go to France again? I swear if she went to France again--” 

“Who's--” My question lost it’s momentum as soon as the first of it left my lips. 

Demitri was trying desperately to type something out, squinting at the screen as his thumbs glided across the too-small keys. Miss Elwing was tapping her foot impatiently, her short stature less intimidating by the contemplating look on her soft features. Harper looked almost the opposite, her dark complexion less flattering with the sour look upon her face, exemplified with the shadows cast as she glared and the pavement. I decided to stand quietly instead, fidgeting with the buttons on my shirt, gazing every once and a while at the unconscious cops...resting...on the cement. 

“Ah Hah!” Demitri held the phone above his head, flipping the cover back down with suave. “Okay, I told her where we are and that we’re all ready...did she bring her phone?” Before anyone could answer, a loud ‘pop’ sprang around the alleyway. Harper held her ears, flinching violently to the sound. The rest of us turned to the noise. I stepped in front of the reeling Harper, tensing in case of danger. Miss Elwing and Demitri seemed content with the strange sound, smiling towards the source. 

A tall and lanky girl stood on top of the trash can, sunglasses perched gingerly on her freckled nose, with some type of smoothie in one hand, a phone in the other. She was wearing an oversized Star Wars t-shirt, covering ripped black skinny jeans. Her overall stance seemed chillaxed, her posture more of a surfer, though her added height on the trash seemed to confuse her. 

“Oh,” Her voice was light and bubbly, matching the way her curly blue-tipped hair bounced. She hopped off of the accidental spot and stumbled a bit, her drink sloshing. “Hey guys, I just got le text,” She waved her phone as if to prove the point, grinning at the rebels. I tilted my head slightly, watching carefully as her eyes moved behind her dark shades. 

“Who’s the boy?’ She nodded towards me, lowering her glasses to peer at me, her grey eyes giving me a once over. 

“Matt,” I said, just as Demitri began to open his mouth. “I’m Matt. I guess you’re Ace?” 

She kept her smile up, a pleased look flitting across her eyes. “That I am. Why didn’t you tell me you found a babe, Tri? So uncool!” I stared at the older teen standing before me, my ears feeling hot. 

“Will somebody please explain to me why that’s the only reaction I get!” Demitri looked at me amused, then turned to talk with Ace. I huffed, grabbing at a few of my curls. Being ignored was no bueno in Matt Oliver’s book of no no’s. 

“Ace, we need to split before the police decide they’ve napped for too long. Think you can make a big jump with all of us?” Demitri gestured towards the four of us, watching as Ace slowly folded up her sunglasses. 

“Back to base? No prob, bob. I think if I concentrate enough I’ll manage,” She looked up, giving me a little smirk. “I’m very good as what I do,” She added in a wiggle of her eyebrows for added effect. I moved to stand a little closer to Harper, backtracking a little. Harper gave me a reassuring smile, her eyes flashing golden with the sentiment. 

“Ace is one of our best teleporters. Her gift focuses on the particles in the air, taking almost a little slice of this dimension, slipping through time and space, and spitting it all back out in a different location…” She watched as her words of comfort had the opposite result than intended. “I mean...it doesn’t hurt or anything. I’m just making it worse, aren’t I?”

I swallowed, shaking my head a little. “Nah, we cool. I love trying dangerous and possibly life-threatening things. Helps pump the blood a little,” I laughed nervously, stretching my fingers. 

She gave me a look, cozying up to me a little. “I could hold your hand if you wanted--” 

“Or I could,” Demitri appeared on the other side of me, grinning at Harper’s shattered expression. “We need to have physical contact in order to jump,” 

“Wait, we literally have to hold hands and sing kumbaya?” I snorted, grabbing both of their hands, feeling the surprise in their fingers. “Sign me up for friendship!” 

“That’s the spirit!” Miss Elwing slid in on the opposite side of Harper, placing a hand on her shoulder, firmly leading her to form a closed circle. “Come over, Ace, we shouldn’t waste any time,” 

Ace slung her arms over Demitri’s and Miss Elwing’s shoulders, closing her eyes with a peaceful look passing along her features. 

I looked around, waiting anxiously for something, anything to happen. Then, as if reality itself was being twisted, our feet lifted a little off the ground, all the colors mixing into each other. It looked like a watercolor painting, but if you’d spilled your cleansing cup all over the piece of paper, resulting in faded and blurry figures, all the colors seeping into the new liquid introduced. 

For all the non-artists, just bear with that explanation, and try and imagine the best roller coaster you’ve ever been on. Okay, now imagine that around a hundred times faster, and only consisting of loops. Yeah, that’s about what it felt like. As soon as it began, it was over. I let go of both hands I was clutching and dropped to my knees with my hands to my stomach. 

“Ugh,” I wheezed, shutting my eyes. “Why is the world rotating about a bazillion times faster?” I flopped forward. 

“Hey, Ace!” Harper rushed forward, catching said girl as she collapsed. Demitri patted my back, a hand on his own mouth with his cheeks tinted green. Miss Elwing was the only one left standing, as she surveyed our surroundings. 

“This is not the base,” I opened my eyes carefully, pressing a hand to my forehead as I shifted into a sitting position. 

“Is this...why are we behind a clothing rack in Target?” I was staring face to face with some type of kids pajamas, covered in stars. My gaze was also picking up on the other racks, as well as the large Target symbol hanging on the far wall in front of us. 

Miss Elwing hummed. “Perhaps the jump was too much after all…” She watched as Harper tended over her limp form. I swooped in as well, digging my water bottle from my backpack. 

“This might help,” I offered it to Harper, who took it without hesitation, leaning Ace’s head upwards to tilt the water into. 

“I...I think it might’ve been my fault,” I stood, watching as Demitri and Ms. Elwing stared at me incredulously. “It makes sense. My apparent gift takes away the ability of another’s. With the contact I had with her...plus I was nervous. Last time that’s how it worked with...you,” I looked at Demitri when I said the last bit, and we had a sort of standoff. He stood up to meet my gaze better, his green eyes analytical.

“This means you’re even more powerful than I thought...you activated this..power..without even thinking about doing so. We have to make it to base before we get caught by the cops again,” 

I let out a breathy laugh. “You think the cops would care that much? So much to follow us into a Target?” I laughed again, being it more the insane laughter of a mad man. 

“Never underestimate the value at which your power is held,” Demitri spoke with a hardened demeanor, his eyes flashing a little. I held up my hands for surrender, while Miss Elwing hummed a little. 

“He does have a point. Look,” As if on cue, the televisions on display began to play the news, my face (ew, my face) flashed across the screens. The picture was taken recently, I was even wearing the same shirt in the shot. Lucky me. The reporter was claiming a kidnapping or something. 

I scowled at the notion. I left according to my own free will thank you very much, dude-with-a-mustache. 

“Oh buddy boy,” I muttered, ducking my head behind the rack as a few passerbyers watched the TVs curiously. “We’re gonna do a disguise montage, aren’t we?” Demitri was already staring at me as if picking out the best color bag to place over my head. 

“You should put on some sort of hood--Sunglasses would also be appropriate,” Miss Elwing joined Demitri in his critical gaze. 

“Woah, woah, woah. Hold on. Have none of you seen any movie ever?” There was a long silence. I facepalmed. “Those are the most stereotypical ways of acting suspicious! Now, turn around, I’m changing my shirt,” It took them a moment to understand my words, but both of their ears turned red as I began to unbutton it. 

“What are you doing?” Demitri hissed, staring at my exposed back. Miss Elwing was keeping a hand over her eyes respectfully. I dug my spare shirt from my bag, also slipping into my father’s leather jacket, and placing my sunglasses to hang from the collar. I shoved the clothing into my bag, once again slinging it over my shoulder. 

“I’m changing clothes to hide, but not in a super flashy way,” I held out my arms, turning in a circle for them to watch. “Whatcha think?” Miss Elwing smiled lightly, ignoring Demitri’s dropped jaw. 

“You’ve had practice with this?” She raised an eyebrow with her accusation. I shrugged, stretching my arms above my head. 

“Not necessarily. I do read enough action adventures to know how it’s done,” I sniffed and crossed my arms. “One of you has to mess up my hair,” 

“What?” Harper looked up from the passed out Ace, giving me an incredulous look. “No way can we mess up that curly masterpiece!” Demitri and I gave her bemused grins, and Miss Elwing stepped forwards, beginning to run her fingers through my hair. I bent down a little so she didn’t have to reach up for too long, trying to ignore the shivers going up and down my spine. 

She finally stepped back, looking slightly miffed at her progress. “Thanks,” I ran my own hand through, feeling most of it smoothed down. “I think we should be good to go,” I took my sunglasses out, slipping them on as every gaze was on me. “How’re we going?” 

“Well, we could...no,” Harper stood, Ace leaning heavily on her shoulder. “Demitri, anything?” 

He shrugged indifferently. “We could call an Uber?” We all turned to look at Miss Elwing, who was in a deep state of contemplation. I pursed my own lips, placing my hand on my chin in the cliché thinking position. I didn’t know many friends who owned a car...at least none that would actually help right now, with me being ‘missing’. That’s when it hit me. 

Which one of my friends was so old fashioned as to not watch the news, AND who always hung out at conveniently located shopping franchises. 

“Guys, I know just the person we need,” Mrs. Elwing shook out of her daze, the rest of them watching me curiously. 

“Matt saves the day once again!” Harper mocked, her grin following me as I made to help her with Ace. 

We had her situated between the two of us, Demitri trailing behind and Mrs. Elwing in front. “Okay, just act casual and we can make our way towards the exit,” 

Of course, me saying ‘act casual’ forced everyone to behave in the exact opposite manner. I walked calmly to the door, my head held high, making sure to look like I knew what I was doing, even a little bit. Ace’s head flopped on my shoulder, her mouth partially opened with a line of drool steadily collecting on my jacket. Harper’s eyes flitted nervously to random spots around the store, never staying longer than a second before moving on. Demitri had his hands stuffed into his pockets with the cool edgy vibe he displayed. A little too edgy in my opinion, his expression dark and angst-filled. Mrs. Elwing was walking a little funny, changing her pace constantly. I could only imagine what her expression looked like, and I prayed that no one would dare make eye contact with her. 

We passed the cashiers, hanging out on a lunch break, both of them holding a drink in hand. They watched curiously as we made our awkward march past them. One of the guys stared at Ace, and I laughed nervously. 

“Too many slushies, am I right?” We smiled painfully at each other, but they let us leave without incident. I sighed once we made it to the parking lot and I let go of my hold on Ace, searching the few cars for any sign of familiarity. 

‘Gotcha!’ I thought, spotting a beat-up looking minivan parked at the very edges of the endless abyss of white lines. I made a beeline for the vehicle, getting questioning looks from the group.   
I made it to the back, peering into the dark windshield paired with two doors. 

“Yo!” I banged a fist on the metal, waiting a minute before knocking again. “Davey boy? Anyone home?” I leaned on one of the doors, crossing my arms and listening. The whole of my companions looked confused, staring at me like I was crazy...I mean, I can’t say with complete certainty that I’m not. 

After a few seconds of waiting, the door next to me slammed open, a dazed teen poking his head into the sun, his eyes half-closed. 

“Who’s looking to get their butts kicked--oh, sup Matt,” The guy was at least 17, his dark eyes and hair looked ruffled. I noticed that he was wearing his shirt backward and inside-out, the tag sticking right below his chin. I was just glad he was actually wearing pants this time, the grey sweatpants baggy on his legs. He fixed a lazy gaze on me, a fruit sticker stuck to the side of his face, clinging to the scruffy stubble covering his chin. 

“Hi Dave,” He grinned stupidly at me, moving to sit down with his feet hanging out of the back. A few more seconds of him staring at me passed, then slowly a questioning look made its way across his face. 

“Wait, why aren’t you at school?” He gave me a critical once over. “What year is it? You still go to school right? I didn’t miss out on graduation...did I?” 

I laughed, trying to ignore all the shocked gazes from the rebellion. “Nah bro, I’m still in school. We had our last day yesterday…” I tried to keep my lie solid, ignoring the offended noise my conscious made. “I was stopping by to ask a favor,” 

“Shoot, man. I owe you one for that time you found the radio button in the van.” I waved off the notion, avoiding the curious glance Harper gave me.

“Music is important, my bro, I was glad to help. Okay, Dave, I need to borrow your car for a while,” He looked at me, then to the van, trying to register my words. 

“What for?” He asked, just now noticing the four other people standing in front of him. Demitri began to open his mouth for an explanation, but I beat him to it. 

“We’re running from the corrupt part of the government cause we found out that I have a super important power, and they want to find me and use me for evil purposes.” I let out a slow breath at the end, cringing away from the amazed looks I was given. “It’d be really cool of you to help, bro,” Dave was beginning to nod along. “Please,” I added, as an afterthought. 

“Oh bro,” Dave sat back, his head disappearing into the van. “That’s totally rad,”

“So could we borrow the van?” 

“For sure, my bro.” He sat back up, turning around and crawling into the car. “Follow me!” His muffled voice came from the front seat. I gave a sheepish smile to the group, climbing into the vehicle. 

I slumped into the shotgun seat, watching as Dave fumbled with candy wrappers, searching for the keys. The dashboard was covered with an unknown sprinkle of glitter, stickers, and bobbleheads. A pair of fuzzy dice hung from the rearview mirror, as well as a tiny disco ball. The glove department in front of me was partially opened, a bunch of crumpled dollars and chip bags were visible from the inside. 

My legs were kind of cramped due to the seat position, but I didn’t mind, it kept me from stepping on CD’s that littered the floor. Mrs. Elwing was seated behind Dave and Demitri behind me. Demitri was staring at the stuffed animals and blankets that surrounded his seat, and Mrs. Elwing looked horrified at the mountain of t-shirts by her feet. The back door slammed shut, Harper having laid Ace down across the back row, and she was sitting smashed against the side. 

“This was really cool of you, Dave,” I said slowly, keeping my gaze on his scrambling form. He looked up, his eyes glinting with victory, keys in hand. 

“What’re bro’s for?” We grinned at each other, and he placed the keys in my hand. I stared at them for a second watching as Dave climbed into the space behind the backseat, his butt in the air as he slid through the rows. 

“Um, Dave?” I was still looking at the keys in shock. He gave me a hum in response. “Why’d you give me these?” 

His head finally surfaced, more stickers collected in his hair. “You gotta take control of the surfboard if you wanna face the waves, bro.” 

“But I don’t know how to surf,” I was given three incredulous looks and one-half smile from Dave. 

“Drive, man. You gotta drive if you want to get anywhere.” 

“You’re coming with us?” I asked, slowly moving to the driver’s seat, carefully fixing the mirror and buckling my seatbelt. He just nodded, leaning his head back out of sight. “Oh-kay then,” I mumbled to myself. “Uh, is everyone buckled?” I turned in my seat, getting a few unsure nods in return. “Oh-kay then.” I placed my fingers on the wheel, moving one hand to the gear-shift. “I would like to mention at this moment…” I gulped, sliding the car into reverse. “I have only driven a car twice before...oh-kay!” I swiveled the wheel so we were facing the exit. 

“Wait, what did you just say?!?” Demitri began to sit forward, but I changed gears, slamming my foot on the gas, forcing him physically back into his seat. All the bobbleheads simultaneously fell to the ground, causing the glitter to spray everywhere. 

“I said--” I flicked the turning signal, ramming the car for a left turn. “I literally have no idea what I’m doing! Basically!” 

And we were off, flying down the highway. 

Mrs. Elwings face turned slightly green, and she placed a hand on the seat. “Matt, we have to drive to--” The sound of a police siren started, coming from the target we had just left. 

“Guys!” I watched the flashing lights turn onto the highway at least half a mile behind us. “Guys, hold onto your hats!” 

“Wait a minute--” The engine revved, and I floored it. Harper made a few frightened noises, watching in terror as I swerved past the few cars still on the highway.

“Matt,” Mrs. Elwing poked her head from behind me, her eyes shut for a minute. “I’ll just have to direct you to where we need to go,” I nodded, eyeing the cops not too far behind us. 

“We wouldn’t happen to have to go in the opposite direction, would we?” She nodded, and I leaned forward a little. “I have a plan,” 

“Oh no,” Demitri hissed, his hands gripping his seat. 

“Shut it!” I found the clearing between trees, a ‘no U-turn’ sign placed just before it. I yanked the wheel to the right, the car skidding, then flying forward into the other side of the highway. 

“Matt!” Harper shrieked, but I was too focused as we flew past the cop car, which slowed down from going in the wrong direction. I slipped a hand off the wheel, shoving my sunglasses from my pocket onto my face. 

“Dave, you know what to do!” We flew down the road, passing outside my hometown, and towards the nearest city: ‘Rhione’. Dave gave a grunt of acknowledgment, bringing a boom box from who knows where, and clicking ‘play’. A saxophone began blaring throughout the car, the beginning of some sort of jazz song. 

“What in the world?” Harper yelped, being thrown back towards the window as I turned into a bridge, Mrs. Elwing having shouted ‘RIGHT!’ as I did so. 

Dave was swaying calmly to the music, and Demitri had gone completely pale as I floored it again. 

“LEFT!” Mrs. Elwing yelled as we neared a crossroad, one leading outside the city, and the other into it. I narrowly missed a Toyota, honking right back as they did me. The police car was caught in a line of traffic, trying to switch lanes in order to follow us down the ramp.

“STRAIGHT, THEN DOUBLE LEFT!” I turned the wheel, slamming on the break to do a full swing onto a street. A few pedestrians jumped back as we went screaming down the road, the light turning orange. 

“RIGHT!” Mrs. Elwing commanded. 

“AHHHHHHH!” The rest of us answered, the car spinning as I pulled the wheel. Dave was still clinging to the boom box, his eyes closed with a peaceful expression. Everyone else was horrified though, myself included. 

“We need to head towards that parking garage!” Mrs. Elwing pointed towards a parking sign, the arrow going to the left. 

“Okay!” I turned, the van rattling down a street, following the signs. I heard the police sirens from a few streets away, and I felt hope swell in my chest. We had shaken them...my terrible driving skills had thrown them off their rhythm! 

“AHHHH!” We screamed again, the wheel being yanked to the right, into a parking garage. We barreled past the abandoned-looking security desk, and then straight to empty parking spaces. 

I slammed on the break, pulling the gear shift into park as we skidded against the pavement. I was panting, my forehead against the steering wheel, shoulders slumped. Mrs. Elwing had a hand over her mouth, and Demitri looked seconds away from passing out, his fingers still gripping the seat. Harper had a hand over her heart, deep breaths escaping her mouth. Dave finally sat up, clicking ‘stop’ on the music just as the final trumpet solo ended. A groan shook everyone out of their stupor, Demitri jumping from his seat, only to be thrown back by the seat belt. 

Ace sat up, a hand pressed to her head. She looked at all of us, confusion flitting across her expression. “Uhhh, what’d I miss?”

**Author's Note:**

> Back at it again with the typing stuff. Yeah, an idea I’ve been playing around with that’s really fun and I adore Matt so I mean, why not? Comment if you wanna join the party!


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